Social England under the Regency, Vol. 2 (of 2)Ashton, John
History
Social England under the Regency, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Ashton, John
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century; Regency -- England
"Curiosity had led many hundreds of persons to the watch-house,
and it was with difficulty the _subject_ could be conveyed to this
Office, where there was also a great assemblage. The _Subject_ at
length arrived. He stated his name to be Robert Morgan, by trade a
smith. John Bottomley, a hackney Coachman, was charged also with
having delivered Morgan tied up in the Sack. The _Subject_ appeared
in the sack, in the same way in which he was taken, with this
difference, that holes had been made to let his arms through.
"The evidence of Mr. Brookes afforded much merriment. He stated that
on Sunday evening, soon after seven o'clock, his servant informed
him, through the medium of a pupil, that a coachman had called
to inquire if he wanted a _subject_, from Chapman, a notorious
resurrection man. Mr. B. agreed to have it, and in about five minutes
afterwards, a Coach was driven up to the door, and a man, answering
to the description of Bottomley, brought Morgan in a sack, as a dead
body, laid him in the passage, at the top of the kitchen stairs, and
walked away without taking any further notice. On Harris, witness's
servant, taking hold of the subject's feet, which protruded through
the bottom of the sack, he felt them warm, and that the subject was
alive.
"Here the prisoner Morgan, who seems to have enjoyed the narrative,
with others, burst out into a fit of laughter.
"Mr. Burrowes--the Magistrate: Is it usual, Mr. Brookes, when you
receive a subject, to have any conversation with the parties who
deliver it?
"Mr. Brookes: Sometimes; but dead bodies are frequently left, and I
recompense the procurers at my leisure.
"Mr. Brookes resumed his evidence, and stated that he put his foot
upon the sack, upon being called by his servant, and kicked it down
two steps, when the subject called out 'I'm alive,' and, forcing
half his naked body out of the sack, threw the whole house into
alarm. (Here the _subject_ again laughed heartily.) Conceiving that
the prisoner's intent was concealment, for the purpose of inducing
others to commit felony, witness armed himself with the bar of a
shutter, one of his pupils brought a poker, and gave his weapon to
another man in the house, whilst he flew upstairs for his pistols,
which were unloaded; but the prisoner seemed inclined to resist, and
witness said to him, 'Resign, or else I'll shoot you like a bug, and
then dissect you in five minutes.' A Constable was sent for, and the
_subject_ was taken to the watch-house. He denied any knowledge of
how he came there, and said he had been made very drunk.
"After Mr. Brookes had returned from the watch-house to enter the
charge against Morgan, he saw Bottomley loitering about the street,
and, on scrutinizing his dress, it answered that of the person who
had left Morgan there. There was another hackney Coachman with
Bottomley.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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